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Mobile Game Study Reveals Interesting Demographics – 63% of #Mobile #Gamers are #Female #Kuuhubb $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:54 AM on Thursday, April 19th, 2018
  • According to Mediakix, female gamers make up 63-percent of the total,
    • 60-percent playing every day.
  • That’s as compared to 37-percent and 47-percent for males, respectively.
  • Only 31-percent of men spend real money in games compared to a number that appears higher for women with that number being at 36-percent
March 30, 2018 – Written By Daniel Golightly

A new report released by Mediakix has some statistics to show with regard to the demographics of mobile gaming, as well as trends in spending and expected industry growth. There’s actually quite a lot of information revealed by the study but the company has provided a helpful infographic to break down some of the key figures. It should come as no surprise that the market is expected to hit a value of around $115 billion this year or that its expected to increase by $72 billion by 2020. Mobile gaming is already a $50 billion industry and its only March.

The demographics of who those gamers are is very interesting, especially when compared to some other studies that were recently completed. For example, another infographic from earlier this month – conducted by AppOptix for U.S. users- showed only a slight gap between how much time men and women spend on their mobile devices. That gap was only at around 6-percent, with men using their devices more. If those figures hold true, then it turns out women may be playing far more mobile games in that time than men. According to Mediakix, female gamers make up 63-percent of the total, with 60-percent playing every day. That’s as compared to 37-percent and 47-percent for males, respectively. Meanwhile, only 31-percent of men spend real money in games compared to a number that appears higher for women with that number being at 36-percent.

That may or may not need to be taken with a grain of salt, though, bearing in mind that Mediakix study was on the global scale. Figures for age demographics in mobile gaming do appear to be a bit different between sources. Mediakix, for example, says that of the 2.1 billion mobile gamers worldwide, the largest age group for gaming on smartphones at 38-percent is those aged 45-years or more. In the U.S., according to AppOptix, the 45 and older group plays the least. That same study showed that those aged 26 to 36 fell in with only slightly more play time per week, while this new study shows users between 25 and 34 as making up 19-percent of gamers. Some cohesiveness is there to be found, on the other hand, in the fact that both studies show that users under 26 make up the big chunk of mobile gamers. The new numbers place that group at around 22-percent, while the earlier reports showed that group to be the largest. Of course, those aren’t the only figures revealed by the study and the comparisons aren’t necessarily directly correlated. But the figures are well worth examning nonetheless. Anybody interested in learning more can check out the included infographic or head over to the source link below.

 Source: https://www.androidheadlines.com/2018/03/mobile-game-study-reveals-interesting-demographics.html

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Thumbs up to #Esports dream: #Raptors #NBA 2K draft pick has visions of stardom $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:25 PM on Wednesday, April 18th, 2018

Toronto’s Yusuf Abdulla hits training camp with 102 other gamers ahead of season

Jamie Strashin

Toronto’s Yusuf Abdulla does an interview at the draft for the NBA’s esports league, NBA 2K. (Photo courtesy Yusuf Abdulla)

Yusuf Abdulla never thought he would be make it to the NBA. Not in a million years.

Sure, the 25-year-old Toronto native played some college basketball. But that was years ago. Abdulla’s closest connection to the game today is his obsession with the video game NBA 2K.

It turns out the countless hours he’s spent honing his skills have paid off. He was one of 102 players drafted earlier this month to play in the NBA’s inaugural NBA 2K league. It is the first professional gaming league being operated by one of North America’s four major sports.

All 17 teams in the league are affiliated with NBA franchises. Just like real teams, there’s a general manager and front-office staff in place.

Abdulla made his first-ever trip to New York City for the draft, held at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.

“It was unbelievable,” said Abdulla, who along with the rest of the draft class was outfitted with a new suit for the occasion. “You feel like an NBA player, but just a virtual NBA player. It’s the same perks though. They treat you well. It was amazing”.

Abdulla was taken 45th overall by Toronto’s entry, the Raptors Uprising Gaming Club.

“It means the world to me,” he said. “You don’t even understand. After I got drafted, I have had so much support from fans, friends, family. The Raptors are calling me the hometown hero.”

The NBA is the first professional sports league attempting to tap into the exploding and lucrative world of esports. In recent years, esports leagues focused around popular games like League of Legends have formed, offering millions in prize money. Some U.S colleges have even started recruiting and offering athletic scholarships to accomplished gamers.

It’s why the NBA chose to partner with Take-Two Interactive, the maker of the popular NBA 2K game, which has sold nearly 80 million copies this year.

The 102 draft picks of the NBA’s esports league pose with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, centre. (NBAE/Getty Images)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said it’s an area the NBA has been curious about for a while.

“A couple of years ago, at Madison Square Garden, I attended a League of Legends competition and that was incredibly eye-opening for me, to see the enthusiasm from a packed house of gamers cheering for things on a screen that I couldn’t understand,” he said.

Silver said the NBA is putting its full energy behind this new venture.

“From the NBA’s standpoint, this is our fourth league,” he said. “We have the NBA, WNBA, the G league. This is the fourth league in our family and that’s exactly how we are treating it. It’s one more professional league. We are welcoming a new generation of players.”

The season tips off at the beginning of May. Teams will play weekly games through August, culminating with playoffs. There will also be three in-season tournaments with $1 million in prize money up for grabs. Games will played out of the NBA studio. Plans on ticket sales and a potential broadcast deal still haven’t been announced. In the past, both Fox and ESPN have broadcast esports competitions.

For Abdulla, getting this far wasn’t easy.

The National
Video games: The Olympic event of the future?

Will video games be an Olympic event in the future? It could be closer to happening than you think. The video game industry is booming with the advent of eSports — there are competitive leagues, with lucrative sponsors, news conferences and million-dollar prize pools, not to mention the hundreds of millions of fans across the world. With the Olympics looking to attract a younger audience, video games and eSports might just be coming to an Olympic venue sooner than you’d think 7:17

Just like real players vying for limited space in the NBA, he had to prove himself countless times before being selected.
After making it through an initial qualifying stage, he was assigned to the NBA combine where he played almost eight hours a day for two weeks, showcasing his skills.

He also had to submit a two-minute video explaining why he was good fit for the league. After making it through to the final 200 players, Abdulla had to go through an hour-long interview with league officials.

“They asked me how I thought I would perform on the big stage — how would you react if you were losing, how would you treat your teammates because people can turn hostile?” Abdulla said. “Let’s say your teammate is missing shots or misses you wide open under the rim and you lose the game, what would you do?”

Basketball IQ

Abdulla said he always believed he had a chance to reach this stage. He fell in love with the game as a child and even played in college for a few years..

“I grew up in a rough neighbourhood and I couldn’t really play basketball outside,” he said. “My mother wouldn’t let me because she didn’t want me to get hurt. So instead of doing that, I needed a hobby so I started playing 2K. And I got good. I have a real-life basketball IQ. I understood the game better because I played in real life.”

Abdulla admitted he has devoted an inordinate amount of time to the game. And like thousands of others, his family told him to turn off the television.

“They have said video games are a waste of time. You should work, find a part-time job instead of wasting your time,” he said. “And I would tell them in life you have to enjoy what you do. And when the news dropped about this 2K league, I knew with my skill level, I was good enough to get in.”

“Fourteen months ago, there was no path,” said Brendan Donahue, NBA 2K’s managing director. “Now we are going to reward them for their passion and dedication to the game. There are 1.6 million daily players and we had the challenge of creating a path to becoming a professional.”

As a newly minted professional, Abdulla is currently in a training camp with his five new teammates, getting ready for the first season.

“Basically we are going to practise together, create some chemistry,” Abdulla said.

6-month contract worth $32-$35K

Abdulla and his teammates will live together during the season. Each player has been signed to a six-month contract and will be paid between $32,000-$35,000.

But the NBA is hoping Abdulla and the league’s 145 other players will earn much more, hopefully becoming household names similar to the league’s biggest stars.

Silver said the league is committed to making that happen.

“What we are hoping to do with an entire new group of athletes, these 102 gamers, using same model as the NBA or WNBA, is developing them as unique personalities with their own following,” he said.

Which has Abdullah dreaming of big things.

“I am hoping for lots of sponsorships, a shoe deal maybe,” he said. “ Who knows?  Depending on my game play I could go as far as Nike.”

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/nba-2k-esports-league-yusuf-abdulla-1.4623929

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Kuuhubb $KUU.ca Announces Creative Cross-Marketing Collaboration With Lionsgate $LGF.A $LGF.B

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:16 PM on Friday, April 13th, 2018

Kuihub large

  • Commencing a creative cross-marketing collaboration with a global content leader Lionsgate
  • Company will create and market suites of digital coloring tasks around Lionsgate properties through Kuuhubb’s Recolor digital coloring app
  • Lionsgate will support these campaigns by driving traffic through its marketing channels to Recolor
  • Past collaborations generated over three million unique coloring tasks and over 300 million impressions in total

TORONTO, April 13, 2018 – Kuuhubb Inc. (“Kuuhubb” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:KUU), a technology company focused on acquiring, developing and distributing lifestyle and mobile applications, today announced that it will be commencing a creative cross-marketing collaboration with a global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF.A) (NYSE:LGF.B).

Under the agreement, Kuuhubb will create and market suites of digital coloring tasks around Lionsgate properties through Kuuhubb’s Recolor digital coloring app, a leader in bringing brands and media properties to the art app universe. In addition, Lionsgate will support these campaigns by driving traffic through its marketing channels to Recolor, whose users generate more than 200 million coloring works per quarter.

Recolor will feature a broad range of unique brand campaigns tying into the releases of Lionsgate movies and TV shows this year, such as the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black and the eagerly anticipated feature films The Spy Who Dumped Me and A Simple Favor. There will also be campaign releases for Lionsgate’s existing library of content, including Mad Men and Dirty Dancing.

Lionsgate and Kuuhubb recently partnered on successful brand campaigns on the Recolor app for three Lionsgate IP: My Little Pony: The Movie, the critically acclaimed blockbuster film Wonder, and the recently launched series Step Up: High Water, each with in-app branded coloring images and video units showing trailers for the properties. These collaborations generated over three million unique coloring tasks and over 300 million impressions in total.

“Finding novel ways to engage consumers in the entertainment industry on mobile devices, particularly in the art app space, is an important challenge,” said Peter Levin, Lionsgate’s President of Interactive Ventures, Games, and Digital Strategy. “The entertainment app category has shown stunning growth, and we’re excited to partner again with Kuuhubb to creatively capitalize even further on its potential.”

Kuuhubb COO Pasi Piipponen noted that, “Digital coloring engages app users on a totally different level than traditional banner or video campaigns – we are reaching 10 minutes of average coloring time per branded coloring task on Recolor. Based on previous successes with Lionsgate, it´s easy to conclude that Recolor users are keen to engage with targeted brand campaigns that bring added value to the user experience.”

Lionsgate’s interactive games business has recently partnered on a deal to promote the Starz Original Series Ash vs Evil Dead with The Overwatch League™ team Los Angeles Valiant, run by professional esports organization Immortals, in which Lionsgate is an investor; collaborated on the blockbuster mobile game Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, which recently crossed 30 million installs on its first anniversary and was part of Amazon’s GameOn announcement at the Game Developers Conference; released “The Saw Chapter” DLC for the asymmetrical multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight; and created a feature for The Divergent Series in the role-playing app What’s Your Story?™

About Kuuhubb
Kuuhubb is a company active in the digital space that focuses mainly on lifestyle and mobile video game applications. Its strategy is to create sustainable shareholder value through acquisitions of proven, yet underappreciated, assets with robust long-term growth potential. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Kuuhubb has a global presence with a strong focus on developing U.S. brand collaborations and Asian partnerships.

About Lionsgate
The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next-generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, gaming, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a 16,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the company’s worldwide consumer base.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements relating to development and growth of the Company’s business and expected benefits from the collaboration with Lionsgate announced in this press release) are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the possibility that results from the collaboration with Lionsgate announced in this press release will not be consistent with the Company’s expectations, risks related to the growth strategy of the Company, the early stage of the Company’s development, competition from companies in a number of industries, the ability of the Company to manage expansion and integrate acquisitions into its business, future business development of the Company and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form dated October 30, 2017 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Kuuhubb Inc.
Jouni Keränen – CEO
[email protected]
Office: +358 40 590 0919

Bill Mitoulas
Investor Relations
[email protected]
Office: +1 (416) 479-9547

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Traditional sports and #Esports collide at the #NBA2K draft $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:47 AM on Thursday, April 12th, 2018

  • Most recent NBA draft, which took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in June, was a packed house with players in dapper suits being called on stage as fans held up signs and chanted their names.
  • NBA commissioner Adam Silver was there to present the first draftee, Artreo “Dimez” Boyd — often called the LeBron James of the NBA 2K world — who joined Mavs Gaming
Imad Khan

The most recent NBA draft, which took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in June, was a packed house with players in dapper suits being called on stage as fans held up signs and chanted their names.

Other than the suits, there was none of that at the NBA 2K League draft. It was closed to the public, meaning that attendees were either media or family. And because this is esports, the draft wasn’t broadcast on television, but rather on Twitch.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was there to present the first draftee, Artreo “Dimez” Boyd — often called the LeBron James of the NBA 2K world — who joined Mavs Gaming. Silver then jumped offstage after the first pick and had NBA 2K League managing director Brendan Donohue take it from there.

The NBA 2K League draft had six rounds, as teams here were setting out to create complete five-player squads, with one for backup. And toward the end of the draft, claps started to wane, much like people called up to the stage at the end a high school graduation.

Around the corner was the media scrum, where players would jump from one camera to the next and answer questions by reporters like “What does it feel like to be a part of X team?” and “What kind of music do you listen to?” These players were being treated as celebrities mostly from news publications that were unsure of how else to treat them.

Almost everything about the NBA 2K League draft resembled the actual NBA draft, except a smaller size, and a few very esports-like nuances. Imad KhanThe players themselves didn’t tower over everyone else either. Players were of all shapes and sizes. Some tall, many short, some skinny, some wide, and two European. It shows the power of competitive gaming. For many of these players, they’ve watched and played basketball all their lives. At some point, they realized that a professional career in the NBA was out of reach. But through gaming, they had an opportunity to go pro, and represent an NBA team. In many ways, it felt like the great equalizer. That anybody with enough skill had a shot at making it into the 2K League. Even if during the inaugural draft, no women qualified. Granted, Silver, along with Oris Stuart, who is the head of diversity and inclusion at the NBA, have created a task force to tackle the lack of female competitors.

Past the Hulu theater, up a flight of escalators, were a few dressing rooms that had been converted into makeshift war rooms, areas where teams could pow-wow over which player to draft.

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Of the three was Jonah Edwards, 23, the head coach of Mavs Gaming. He’s from the competitive NBA 2K community, and dropped out of Ball State University in his senior year to join the Mavs. As he was watching the picks, he was surprised at some of the players teams were leaving out on the field. Of the 17 teams in the 2K League, about eight had taken in coaches from the community itself. That’s probably why many teams were possibly picking players based on their relative location rather than skill set.

As the trio inside the room were on the conference call, they were crossing names off spreadsheets, and calling the team back in Dallas. Mavs Gaming has its eyes set on the championship.

The question on everyone’s mind is: Will fans actually come to watch a competitive basketball video game? That fear was put to rest for Sumit Arora, the senior director of strategy at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the umbrella organization for the Maple Leafs, the Raptors and Toronto FC, when they held a fan event for Raptors Uprising Gaming Club.

Arora said that Raptors Uprising GC held an event for fans. He really wasn’t sure what to expect, but was stunned to see the turnout. The team has been running tournaments to create a practice squad. And for players in Toronto wanting to be a part of next year’s 2K League draft, it’s probably the best practice any aspiring pro gamer could get.

By about 4 p.m., journalists started to trickle out of MSG. There wasn’t an after-party or any other major celebrations. The teams had picked their players, packed up their equipment, and went off for dinner.

An in-person draft is a first for esports, but a staple for traditional sports. It’s a welcome change, that will help elevate gaming further into the mainstream. And the NBA wants the 2K League to be everlasting. If marketed correctly, players will grow in fame and eventually the draft will be open to the public.

And maybe one day, the 2K League draft will fill up Barclay’s too.

Source: http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/23123891/traditional-sports-esports-collide-nba-2k-draft

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March #Esports Investment Recap: A Billion Dollar Bet $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:04 PM on Tuesday, April 10th, 2018

  • Year is nowhere near from being over, but more than $1B invested in esports-related companies last month
  • Once again, it was the Chinese games market leader Tencent  that’s responsible for the biggest part of the cash injection.
Image Credit: ESL/Helena Kristiansson

The year is nowhere near from being over, but with more than $1B invested in esports-related companies last month, the industry likely reached its annual high already. Once again, it was the Chinese games market leader Tencent  that’s responsible for the biggest part of the cash injection.

Tencent Tightens Its Grip on the Sector In March, Tencent has made separate investments in two of China’s key streaming platforms, both announced in close succession. Huya raised $461.6M in its latest series B equity financing round, led by Tencent, while rival game-streaming platform Douyu TV  received $632M from the Chinese gaming and social media giant.

Being involved in a combined $1.1 billion in funding in one day, Tencent has elevated its already dramatic hold on one of the world’s most vital live streaming markets. For comparison, Amazon’s acquisition of Twitch  was valued at close to $1B, reportedly. According to Niko Partners, the market size for professional esports alone in China in 2017 was $1.26B, and furthermore, live streaming of esports events was the industry’s top source of revenue in the country, at $625M.

In March, Tencent made separate investments in two of China’s key streaming platforms, both announced in close succession.

Related Article: Imagine Spalding Owned Basketball, That’s How Esports Works

Other companies are expanding their market shares as well, though. Infinite Esports & Entertainment , a majority shareholder in OpTic Gaming  and Overwatch League’s  Houston Outlaws, diversified its portfolio last month, by acquiring esports apparel brand Sector Six for an undisclosed amount.

Infinite, which is backed and headed by Neil Leibman—a co-owner of the MLB franchise Texas Rangers—has acquired and partnered with a multitude of companies and esports organizations. These include broadcast and events management company NGAGE, esports agency Triggerfish, and teams OpTic, Allegiance, and Obey Alliance. The holding company plans to bring its entire portolio together later this year, with the opening of a 3,000 seat esports stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Elsewhere, one of the world’s leading producers in television content, European entertainment company RTL Group—majorly owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann—through its French TV network subsidiary M6, has taken a minority stake in Glory4Gamers, an amateur esports competition organizer, for an undisclosed amount.

While M6 taking a minority stake in Glory4Gamers may not be a game-changing acquisition, it’s a signal that esports might enter a consolidation phase. These kind of investments are a typical indicator for a maturity period in an industry cycle, where growth slows, focus shifts towards expense reduction, and the competitive landscape of a marketplace becomes more clear while the big companies claim their spots and deter smaller competition.

Esports Takes Off in South-East Asia

Market researcher Niko Partners estimates the number of mobile online game users in SEA will surpass 170M by the end of 2017, rising to 250M by 2021. It doesn’t come as a surprise that estimations like that attract the eye of investors like AirAsia Group CEO and co-founder Tony Fernandes. The majority shareholder of the Queens Park Rangers soccer club, who has a total net worth of $745M, last month announced to have acquired a majority share in Malaysian mobile esports organization Team Saiyan, which is to be rebranded as AirAsia Saiyan.

Team Saiyan are one of the top-ranked professional teams playing the Moonton developed MOBA title Mobile Legends. The squad currently competes in the game’s MPL competition, which is sponsored by mobile phone brand Honor, GoPro, and Singapore hardware brand Armageddon.

Fernandes founded Malaysian lost-cost airline AirAsia in 2001, which reported $408M in profit for 2017. AirAsia itself was a sponsor of Manchester United F.C. between 2009 and 2013.

Esports AI and Nutrition

Game Insight founder Alisa Chumachenko has launched a new esports company, raising $1.9M in funding. Gosu.ai utilizes artificial intelligence to provide gamers with direct feedback and coaching, from recommending item builds to suggesting strategies in certain matchups. The investment round was lead by Runa Capital, and included participation from Ventech and Sistema VC, the latter of which invested $420K in a seed round last October.

Gosu.ai joins a growing list of companies marrying artificial intelligence with esports. Last month, esports audience monetization platform FanAI raised $2.5M during a funding round, and there is also Elon Musk’s AI technology company OpenAI, which is teaching a program to play esports games like Dota 2  and StarCraft II  at the highest level. German startup Shikenso is working on an artificial intelligence Twitch filter, adding additional options for fans to watch streams.

Runtime , an esports startup focused on bringing nutrition products to the gamer market, has raised a seven-digit seed round, led by Everblue Management. Other participants include existing investor BITKRAFT Esports Ventures , along with Döhler Ventures, Food Angels Germany, and angel investors.

Runtime, which began as a BITKRAFT incubated company, launched its online store in January 2017. The brand’s stock includes multiple flavors of its performance drink, meal shake, and a recently launched protein bar.

Source: https://esportsobserver.com/march-esports-investment-recap/

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Kuuhubb $KUU.ca Reports Quarterly Revenue Of $USD 6.6 Million Led By In-App Purchases and Global Brand Partnerships$TCEHY $ATVI $CYOU

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:20 AM on Tuesday, April 10th, 2018

Kuihub large

Financial Highlights for the Three Month Period Ended March 31, 2018:

  • Revenue: Increased to US$6.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018, an increase from the previous quarter ended December 31, 2017 (which was US$6.35 million).

TORONTO, April 10, 2018 – Kuuhubb Inc. (“Kuuhubb” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:KUU), a technology company focused on acquiring, developing and distributing mobile game applications, is pleased to provide an update on recent financial performance.  References below to “US$” are to United States dollars.  The Company’s consolidated financial statements (and related management’s discussion and analysis) for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 are planned to be published on or before May 30, 2018. The Company’s financial year end is June 30.

Financial Highlights for the Three Month Period Ended March 31, 2018:

  • Revenue: Increased to US$6.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018, an increase from the previous quarter ended December 31, 2017 (which was US$6.35 million).  This revenue was generated from existing and new user sales of the Recolor app, the in-application purchases of virtual goods from the My Hospital game, along with in-application advertising revenue.
  • Advertising Revenue Contribution:  The three months ending March 31, 2018 was the first full quarter where the Company’s newly introduced advertising monetization model was fully implemented and showing immediate revenue contribution.
  • Brand and IP Owner Partnerships: Continue to play an essential role in Kuuhubb’s growth strategy.  Highly customized campaigns with Kellogg’s and Lionsgate have proven to be very successful with high user engagement.  For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company signed additional contracts with new globally recognized brands and IP owners, and expects to see a significant increase in revenue from this stream in the coming quarters.
  • Nearing Cash Flow Break-Even: During the quarter ended March 31, 2018 the Company operated at or near cash flow break-even.  In addition, Kuuhubb also repaid, as scheduled, a significant amount of debt (equivalent to about US$650,000) during the period ending March 31, 2018 strengthening the Company’s balance sheet.
  • Improved Financial Position: The Company is pleased to announce it has improved its financial position in order implement and accelerate its Asian project and product road map.  The Company secured during the quarter ended March 31, 2018 US$1.6 million in additional funds, which included a pre-payment from advertising platform partners and bank loan.  With this additional cash, the Company has the necessary funds to adequately execute on its numerous global growth initiatives.

Jouni Keränen, CEO of Kuuhubb, stated: “I am proud of the Kuuhubb team for delivering another solid quarter achieving both quarter-on-quarter revenue growth and month-on-month cash flow break-even.  With the additional, non-dilutive cash injection, the Company is well positioned to execute the growth drivers of Japan, India and Android launches, as well as expanding the product portfolio.”

About Kuuhubb
Kuuhubb is a company active in the digital space that focuses mainly on lifestyle and mobile game applications.  Its strategy is to create sustainable shareholder value through acquisitions of proven, yet underappreciated, assets with robust long-term growth potential.  Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Kuuhubb has a global presence with a strong focus on developing U.S. brand collaborations and Asian partnerships.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements relating to future and increased revenue and development and growth of the Company’s business) are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, risks related to the growth strategy of the Company, the possibility that results from the Company’s growth plans will not be consistent with the Company’s expectations, the early stage of the Company’s development, competition from companies in a number of industries, the ability of the Company to manage expansion and integrate acquisitions into its business, future business development of the Company and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form dated October 30, 2017 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward- looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Kuuhubb Inc.
Jouni Keränen – CEO
[email protected]
Office: +358 40 590 0919

Bill Mitoulas
Investor Relations
[email protected]
Office:  +1 (416) 479-9547

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The Rise of #Mobile #Esports in 2018 $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:03 AM on Monday, April 9th, 2018
  • Competitive mobile games are slowly making their way into the spotlight and are successfully cementing themselves as the next big thing in the world of esports
  • You heard it right – 2018 might be the year of mobile esports
Julian Elona

If you told your parents years ago that you wanted to make a career out of playing mobile games, chances are they would have shrugged it off and got mad at the thought of their child make a living with a mobile phone.

But that is not the case in 2018, as competitive mobile games are slowly making their way into the spotlight and are successfully cementing themselves as the next big thing in the world of esports.

You heard it right – 2018 might be the year of mobile esports.

Esports is currently a popular spectator sport that has gained a lot of fans over the years. In fact, data shows that it may have overtaken some traditional sports when it comes to viewership. One example of this is when the Mid-Season Invitational 2017 League of Legends, a popular esports game for PC, garnered over 360 million unique viewers last year. That is more than the Super Bowl, which only took around 111 million unique viewers the same year.

As for mobile esports, they could not yet reach a viewership count equal to traditional esports games. According to Esports Chart, last year’s Clash Royale tournament only had around 20 million views while the lowest viewership was from Vainglory World Championship 2017 with only 56,000 viewers at its peak.

However, competitive mobile gaming has seen a huge increase this year. Mobile games such as Vainglory, Clash of Clans, and Arena of Valor have been organising successful tournaments and fostering a healthy environment for its professional athletes.

Clash Royale recently made a big announcement that it will be organizing one of the biggest mobile esports events called Clash Royale League with a prize pool of over $1m. Notable teams from other esports games such as Fnatic and Team SoloMid have also announced that they will be participating in the event.

Tencent, a Chinese tech company, also tried to capitalise on the western market by releasing Honor of Kings in the US and Europe and renaming it to Arena of Valor. The game drew heavy inspiration from traditional MOBAs. They also announced this year that they would be holding an international tournament with a prize pool of around $500,000.

Super Evil Megacorp, the developer of Vainglory, has also announced a partnership with Alibaba that will include Vainglory in the official lineup of games in the World Electronic Sports Games 2018 (WESG). Vainglory also announced before that it would be having a new 5v5 format, having had only a 3v3 format previously.

This will be the first time that a mobile game will be integrated into the WESG and will be headlining along with other popular games like Dota 2, Starcraft II, and Counter Strike: Global Offensive.

With no signs of backing down, mobile games may be the next big thing in esports. It’s only a matter of time before we fully embrace the notion that you can have a successful career just by playing with your mobile phone.

Source: http://www.foxsportsasia.com/esports/839328/rise-mobile-esports-2018/

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#Gaming stock KuuHubb $KUU.ca has 413% upside, Echelon Wealth Partners says $TCEHY $ATVI $CYOU

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 7th, 2018

 

  • KuuHubb Inc. (TSXV:KUU) is a small cap Top Pick for Ralph Garcea, analyst with Echelon Wealth Partners
  • On Wednesday, Garcea reiterated his “Speculative Buy” and target of C$4.00 for KUU

April 5, 2018 By Jayson MacLean

With an eye towards expansion into Asian markets and an experienced management team able to get the job done, mobile game and lifestyle company KuuHubb Inc. (TSXV:KUU) is a small cap Top Pick for Ralph Garcea, analyst with Echelon Wealth Partners. On Wednesday, Garcea reiterated his “Speculative Buy” and target of C$4.00 for KUU.

Last month, Helsinki, Finland-based KuuHubb reported its FQ2/18 financials, which showed a revenue increase of 123 per cent over the previous quarter, much of those gains coming from its leading digital colouring book app, Recolor, says Garcea, who thinks that KUU will be EBITDA positive by FY2019.

“We believe momentum continued for KUU into FQ3/18 (Mar) and expect results to be up q/q, driven by growth in Recolor and MyHospital,” says the analyst in a research note to clients. “In addition, the acquisition of the blockchain-enabled mobile e-sports platform (Valiance UG) is designed to support both mobile e-sports competitors and content creators and provides them with opportunities to monetize their involvement playing e-sports titles.

Garcea says that shareholder value should come from key acquisitions of proven, under-appreciated assets, projected that the company’s capable management team should be launching its mobile games in India and Japan this quarter.

“KuuHubb’s co-founder and CEO, Jouni Keränen, has over 18 years of international business and management experience, with particular experience and in-depth knowledge of the online games industry and market in China and elsewhere in Asia, which are a particular area of focus for KuuHubb in its business plans,” the analyst says.

“We believe there is plenty of upside in our estimates as KUU expands across demographics and into adjacent lifestyle categories (like interior design, fashion and jewelry, home and garden, etc.),” says the analyst. “We note that the Global Social App comparables are trading on average (excl. Facebook) at a multiple of US$40/monthly active users (MAU). Applying this multiple to KUU’s 7.0 million MAUs would value the Company at US$280 million (or C$6.50-7.50/shr).”

The analyst’s $4.00 target price represents a 413 per cent projected return on investment as of publication date.

Source: https://www.cantechletter.com/2018/04/gaming-stock-kuuhubb-has-413-upside-echelon-wealth-partners-says/

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#NBA2K League Draft: TV And Stream Info For Wednesday’s Event #Esports $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:49 AM on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018
Brian Mazique , Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

If you were wondering how you can watch the first-ever NBA 2K League, here are your answers.

  • live pre-draft press conference featuring NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue, and Take-Two Interactive Chief Executive Officer Strauss Zelnick
  • begins at 12 pm ET and can be seen on NBA TV, the NBA App, NBA.com, and the NBA 2K League Twitter handle.

NBA 2K League Draft Lottery

There will be a live pre-draft press conference featuring NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue, and Take-Two Interactive Chief Executive Officer Strauss Zelnick. That begins at 12 pm ET and can be seen on NBA TV, the NBA App, NBA.com, and the NBA 2K League Twitter handle. Silver will announce the league’s first overall pick.

At 1 pm ET, the draft will begin. The entire first round can be seen on NBA TV and the NBA 2K League’s official Twitch channel. The second through sixth rounds will be streamed on Twitch exclusively. There are 17 teams and each will select six players. The draft will progress in a serpentine order until the final pick is announced.

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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2018/04/04/nba-2k-league-draft-tv-and-stream-info-for-wednesdays-event/#348df2736f93

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Gary Vee’s Throughts On #DRAKE & #Twitch #Esports #LOL $GMBL $KUU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:50 PM on Thursday, March 29th, 2018

“It is now a forgone conclusion that millions of people will sit for trillions of hours and watch other people game.”

“I’m in love with my these of eSoorts and virtual reality in a year window.”

“Do you know how many kids are making real bank on twitch playing video games all day?”

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